The last time we went to Disney World as an entire family was in August 2015 and Tyson was just shy of turning 3 years old.
I consider this day to be the one on which I made the most single mistakes.
It was hot.
The crowds were incredible.
And we spent the entire day at Magic Kingdom.
No breaks.
In my defence, I was sort of new to understanding what Tyson needed.
It was also my very first time at Magic Kingdom and I was very wrapped up in taking it all in.
I remember Tyson going on the Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride, which he seemed to enjoy/tolerate and then we did the Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin which was a bit of a disaster. The noise, the lights, the spinning – it was all too much for him.
We stayed for the light parade, which thinking about it must have been sensory overload for a kid like Tyson.
And not a pair of noise-cancelling headphones in sight.
Epic Mom Fail!
Tyson was so scared (and overwhelmed) that he cried and cried. The amount of people surrounding us was intense and before I knew it, he was asleep in the stroller. Asleep from the pure exhaustion of trying to survive a very long, overwhelming day at the most magical place on earth.
On our next trip to Florida in 2017 we decided that Disney was not for Tyson so I took Lincoln only, accompanied by my mom and my sister.
When I think of this now, it breaks my heart.
It wasn’t that Disney wasn’t for Tyson, it was that his parents had no idea how to approach Disney through the eyes of an autistic child.
Now that Tyson is older and I have grown in my Tyson Wisdom, we were ready to tackle Florida and more specifically Disney again.
Before I tell you about how different an experience Disney was for us this time around, I want to tell you about how I prepared before visiting the Parks.
Prep Work
Did I mention that I booked this trip two weeks before we travelled? Not a lot of time to get everything in place but doable.
I love a good deadline!
Before travelling to Florida, I started to watch YouTube and TikTok videos all about the parks we would visit.
I made sure to show Tyson YouTube POV (Point of View) videos of rides so that he knew what to expect.
I specifically asked him what he wanted to do so that we could have a tentative plan in my head to tackle those attractions first in case we needed to make a quick exit.
His list was short:
- Monster’s Inc Mikey’s Laugh Floor (Magic Kingdom – Disney)
- Frozen Live at the Pavilion (Hollywood Studios – Disney)
- Trolls Roller Coaster (Universal Studios)
That list however meant three different parks.
I wasn’t delighted but we had planned to take Lincoln to Universal Studios anyway and perhaps Tyson would forget about Mikey’s Laugh Floor once we had an awesome day at Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios (insert eye roll).
I would highly recommend before visiting any of the parks or any other attraction to read each park guide to know exactly what sort of accommodations they provide if your child needs them.
Disney’s DAS
Disney has their own set of accommodations it provides to autistic guests through enrollment in the Disability Access Service (DAS).
Their website also contains an enormous amount of information on each of their rides and what challenges an individual may face based on their disability and how they experience the world. This is great for neurotypical children too who may have specific fears or sensory issues. (Sensory Experience Park Guide)
To apply for DAS, I needed to schedule a live interview with a cast member no more than 30 days before our trip. What I didn’t realize was that I also needed to have purchased our Disney tickets before speaking with the cast member so they could assign the DAS to the ticket.
The live interview required Tyson to be present, and although they did not ask anything about his diagnosis, they did ask questions like what waiting in line looked like for him? and what could potentially happen if he was unable to wait in line. The entire process only took about 30-45 minutes, including initiating the request, waiting for a cast member to chat with me and the actual live video chat interview.
The DAS is then applied to the tickets you purchase through the “Disney World” app.
It is important to have all your guest members linked in your app. In our case, my sister purchased her ticket separately and I had not linked her to my tickets in the app at the time I did the live interview. The reason why this is important is that all tickets needed to be linked to Tyson’s ticket for our group to avail of the accommodations.
Before talking about DAS, let me tell you in general how rides and tickets work at Disney for those of you who have never been yet.
First of all, expect to dish out a small fortune for your ticket. The price of your ticket depends on the day you are visiting and which park you are going to. In general, a weekend ticket is more expensive than a weekday ticket and Magic Kingdom is more expensive than Hollywood Studios for example.
On top of your regular admission ticket, you can purchase a Genie Plus which allows you to enter a shorter queue line. (Since our visit Disney has changed this slightly with a Lightening Lane Multi Pass allowing you to book 3 experiences before your visit and/or a Single Pass Lightening Lane allowing you to book 2 single passes per day. Confused yet!)
DAS allows the ticket holder who is unable to physically wait in a conventional queue for an extended time to virtually wait in the queue using the Disney World app.
Does this mean there is zero waiting time? The answer is no.
For newcomers to Disney, for each ride there are two lines. The Standby Lane and the Lightening Lane. Posted above the attractions is the estimated wait time for each of these lanes. By booking a ride time through the app with the DAS accommodation, you are given time to enter the Lightening Lane.
To give an example on a regular park day the wait time for the Lightening Lane could be 10 minutes vs 50 minutes (or longer) for the Standby Lane.
Some points to note: 1) you can only book a ride after you initially scan your ticket/magic band at the park; 2) you can approach the ride line 10 minutes before your booked time on the app; 3) you can only book 1 ride at a time; and lastly 4) once you scan your ticket at the ride entrance you can then book your next ride while waiting in the queue.
Disney DAS does not accommodate character meets. If you want to meet a character and your DAS ticket holder can not wait in line, one person from your group can however hold place in line for the entire party.
So, what did DAS mean for Tyson’s Hollywood Studio visit?
To be honest, it started as a bit of a disaster.
We arrived at Hollywood Studios shortly after it opened trying to avoid the “gate drop” crowds.
Tyson was PUMPED!
So was I, two days prior we had visited Universal Studios (details coming shortly) and it went so well, that I had high hopes.
I think one of the things I didn’t prepare myself for was the amount of time it takes you to get into the park.
The first lineup is for security where all purses, backpacks and strollers need to be searched. After you leave that lineup, you walk a little further and then are herded into a lineup to enter the park. As you can also purchase your tickets at the park itself, make sure you enter the correct lineup if you already purchased your tickets. It is at this point that staff will provide you with a physical admission card if you purchase your tickets online.
Note: If you did not apply for DAS before entering the park you will need to go to Guest Services after scanning your admission ticket. Disney no longer provides DAS at Guest Services but they will provide you with an iPad and you can schedule a live chat on site. I would not recommend this route as it will waste time.
Although I had DAS applied to Tyson’s ticket before arriving at the Park, I wanted to receive accommodation for Tyson’s stroller and therefore needed to visit Guest Services.
Sidenote: Tyson has not used a stroller in years but for this trip, I rented a special needs stroller which accommodates individuals up to 100 pounds. It was a godsend! I booked through Kingdom Strollers and they were amazing to deal with. You can have the stroller delivered to the airport on your arrival or to your accommodations. I was a little concerned that the stroller would not be big enough but it was very roomy and had a little storage bin underneath for our snacks and water. If you also decide to go the stroller route, you need to check that the company indicates the stroller meets “Disney size requirements”, if not you may have a stroller that the parks may not permit to enter the attraction lineup.
Guest Services provided a sticker for the stroller (which can be applied for the entire length of your Disney visit) that signifies to staff that this stroller is considered medical equipment. An accommodation for the stroller allows the user to remain in the stroller while in the attraction lineup.
Although Tyson does not physically need a stroller for mobility, his running is a major safety concern. When he is overwhelmed, too hot, and/or frustrated sometimes he just shuts down and will lie on the ground. Other times when he is overwhelmed, he will run and the last thing I needed was a running Tyson at the busiest place on earth.
Back to our arrival at Hollywood Studios ….
The lineup for Guest Services was a little slow and Tyson started to get frustrated as he was eager to get going. So, Meagan took him for a little stroll to distract him while I waited. Unfortunately, when it was finally my turn, they needed to see Tyson and the stroller before providing the accommodation, so I had to beckon them back.
Finally, we were ready to go.
However, in all the excitement of entering the park, I had forgotten to book our first ride.
Using the app, I logged in and booked the Slinky Dog Roller Coaster and was shocked to see that the wait time was 50 minutes.
We had already spent approximately 30 minutes getting into the park and receiving the stroller accommodation.
This was not what I was expecting. What was I to do with an already antsy Tyson for 50 minutes?
Also, my own irritation started to sink in. When I applied for the DAS and completed the live chat, I asked the cast member about purchasing the Genie Plus (now called Lightening Lane) and he assured me it was not needed. I believe in the chat I had asked him 3 separate times would the Genie pass help us have a more successful day. He assured me that the DAS and the Genie Plus were essentially the same in terms of wait times.
So off we went to make our way to the back of the park to Toy Story Land, taking the scenic route to kill some time, as I knew all Tyson had on his mind was his first ride.
Toy Story Land is exactly how you would picture it in your mind – bright, bold colors with larger-than-life toys and lights.
It is simply beautiful.
Tyson spotted the Slinky Dog Roller Coaster ride pretty quickly but could not understand it was not our turn to enter the lineup yet. It was very hot that day, and Hollywood Studios had little to no shade and Tyson was getting more and more irritated by the minute.
Meagan entered the line for a character meet while myself and Tyson walked around Toy Story Land. When the lineup got closer to the front, we joined her.
(Shout out to Meagan who is down for all the waiting, without complaining, when it comes to making my kids happy.)
Although Tyson was very excited, he did have a hard time waiting. And then as we are in the lineup, the character leaves. Disney switches up their characters every 40 minutes and there is a break between when one character leaves and the other arrives. Luckily one of the attendants did warn me about this and ensured everyone in the lineup that they would be back really soon.
Can I share with you, that watching Tyson meet Woody and Jessie (from Toy Story) was a truly beautiful moment?
His little face lit up and his happiness could not be contained as he flapped and jumped.
He gave them both hugs, kissed Jessie and posed for pictures like a pro.
And the cast members allow your child to enjoy their moment. There is no rushing.
Sidenote: Disney has a Memory Maker package which links to your park tickets and is used to upload any pictures cast members take of you and your party at the park. Cast members will also take your phone/camera and take a picture for you as well. There a plenty of opportunities throughout all the Disney parks to capture these moments including some of the rides.
Despite my frustration up to this point, I knew it was all worth it for this single moment.
Because of the long wait lines for the character meets and Tyson’s agitation when Meagan separated from us, we decided it was best to skip meeting the other characters in Toy Story Land (like Buzz Lightyear and Joy) to try and reduce his agitation.
Finally, at 10:45 after arriving at 9:15, it was time for our first ride – Slinky Dog Roller Coaster.
Tyson absolutely loved it. It was super sweet and …. Super short.
120 seconds to be exact.
So, what do you think happened as soon as we exited the ride?
Tyson indicated (using sign language) that he wanted to do the ride again.
That was not going to be an option.
He started to cry as I strolled him away and I reassured him we would do another ride.
The issue was of course that we now needed to wait another 45-55 minutes for our next ride.
I tried to calm Tyson but unfortunately those two minutes of fun was just not cutting it.
I had brought with me a phone loaded with music and videos for him to use when waiting in line for the rides to keep him distracted.
Well, the phone just wasn’t cutting it either.
He quickly threw the phone with gusto on the ground, all while crying and having a meltdown.
The phone did not survive.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to survive either.
As me and Meagan were trying to get our bearings and come up with a plan, a very frustrated Tyson jumped out of the stroller and took off running.
Disney was not feeling like the happiest place on earth for me at that moment.
Do you believe in coincidences? Divine intervention? The universe sending you a gift?
Well, a couple of days before our trip I had taken Tyson to the playground. An acquaintance who I may have spoken to a handful of times but has a neurodiverse family like mine saw me and Tyson at the playground and came over to chat.
I mentioned we were going on a trip and that I was nervous about taking Tyson to Disney World as our previous attempt did not go so well. She gave me some advice – “Disney wants you to be happy and have a wonderful magical time so if things are not going well, go speak to a Cast Member at Customer Service and they will try to provide accommodations to make your child happy”.
Well, it’s strange that in that moment I even remembered Martha’s words because I find when I get overwhelmed my brain also sort of shuts down and common sense is not so common.
So off we went to find Guest Services.
A lovely lady named Rose was very sympathetic to our situation – the intense heat, coupled with a broken phone and another 40-minute wait was more than Tyson could handle at that point.
She immediately tried everything in her power to cheer Tyson up – she gave him a new park ticket (Woody), booked us two rides back-to-back and gave us VIP seats for the Frozen show at the Pavilion.
Day saved!!!
She explained that our issue with using DAS to book rides at Hollywood Studios was that the number of rides at this park was much lower than at some of the other parks like Magic Kingdom and therefore the wait times would be greater.
I told her we when thinking about park hopping to Magic Kingdom after a little break midday and she assured me that we would not experience the same wait times as there are so many more rides for all visitors to choose from.
*Park Hopper – by paying an extra fee you can visit another theme park on the same day for which you purchased your ticket. It costs less than purchasing a separate ticket for that park. Thanks Jenna for the tip 😉
Tyson enjoyed his additional rides, then we made our way to the Pavilion for the Frozen sing-along, which was a nice break out of the sun midday.
During the show, I ordered some lunch at the restaurant next door on the app and it was ready for us when the show was over.
I guess this is as good a place as any to mention that travelling with Tyson and thinking about what he will eat is very stressful.
I was able to see a picture of very plain-looking French fries on the app and both me and Meagan breathed a sigh of relief when he ate the first one.
(For individuals with picky eaters, it will save you some time if you browse the restaurant menus ahead of time and save the ones you think are suitable. You can order food through the app and select a time you want the food to be ready, reducing additional waiting times.)
With a full belly and a break from the sun, Tyson was happy again.
We closed out our Hollywood Studios day with another ride, meeting Olaf and then letting Tyson choose a toy to bring home.
In case you haven’t been to Disney before, be prepared for Disney merchandise to buy everyone. Walking along the streets to many of the attractions are booths and open stores that easily grab any child’s attention with bubble wands, Mickey hands, beautiful balloons, and every single stuffie you can imagine. And the best part is the exit to most rides, brings you directly into a store.
Gotta love Disney!
We left Hollywood Studio around 3:00 pm and headed back to our home away from home for a little break.
I was sort of hoping Tyson would forget about Mikey’s Laugh Floor as I felt we already had a full day but that would not be the case.
Once back in our house, Tyson quickly typed “Mikey’s Laugh Floor”.
I was very hesitant as our day at Hollywood Studios did not start well and was only saved by the kindness of a cast member however, there is not much I will say no to when it comes to the kids and their wishes.
So, we purchased a park hopper* and after a little break, two tired adults and one excited Tyson were back on our way to try park # 2 – Magic Kingdom.
I had forgotten Magic Kingdom was not accessible by simply driving and parking, so we had to board a ferry to get there. You can also take the monorail however that was not running at that moment. These modes of transportation are included in your park ticket.
As soon as we entered the park I booked a ride and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the wait times for all rides were very reasonable (anywhere from 5-15 minutes).
Well, to say that we ROCKED Magic Kingdom is an understatement.
We went on ride after ride, with little to no wait times between rides.
Tyson was delighted!
We did run into one little issue that required Guest Services again though.
When entering one ride, one of our tickets did not scan. The Cast Member allowed all of us to enter anyway however when we finished the ride, the ticket that did not scan was therefore “stuck” on that ride. Because one ticket was still showing as “booked” on the ride, we could not book any additional rides until the unscanned ticket was released.
Therefore, if a ticket will not scan you are better off trying again, as we did not save any time by getting on the ride as we then had to find Guest Services again and get the ticket released.
Well, that is a rap on my Disney World tips.
As the sun set and the park was closing, we headed back to the ferry to make our way home.
Despite how the day started, it was overall a huge success for Tyson.
He smiled.
He laughed.
He ate the fries.
He swayed back and forth to the music at the Frozen show.
He got upset but he recovered.
He did ride after ride and was always willing to go on just one more.
And he slayed the Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin ride!!!!
He had a full day.
I was incredibly proud of his growth, but more than anything, I was just happy to share in his joy.
His joy was my joy.
What the day perfect? No.
Are there things I would do differently next time? Absolutely.
But overall it was a magical day.
(I had planned to talk about Universal Studios here too but let’s be honest, I’m even sick of reading this at this point.)
You will find a summary of my Disney tips below. If you have any suggestions that I may have missed please feel free to share in the comments.
Up next …. Universal Studios
For Our Family Vacation – Part 1: Up, Up (wait, wait, wait) and Away click here.
Tip Summary – Prep Work
- Download the Disney World app
- Apply for DAS
- Rent a stroller (you will thank me)
- Watch YouTube or TikTok videos to become familiar with the parks before your visit
- Review park guides
- If you plan to travel when it is super-hot, plan your indoor attractions during the hottest part of the day
- If you have a picky eater, review restaurant food selections ahead of time on the app
- If you plan to use a physical ticket, purchase a lanyard to hold your tickets (having to haul out a physical card at each ride gets super annoying as the day goes on)
- Review park layout maps and have a tentative plan of rides (Magic Kingdom is huge and you can waste a lot of time walking between attractions)
Tip Summary – Disney Park Day
- Pack all the necessities (sunscreen, noise cancelling headphones, snacks, Band-Aids, change of clothes for emergencies)
- Wear bright colors on your little ones so they are easy to spot in case they do manage to escape
- Bring a refillable water bottle (most Disney concession stands give free water upon request and water fountains are scattered throughout the parks)
- Freeze juice packs or bottles of water to keep drinks cold longer; these can also be used as an ice pack
- Bring a fan and attach it to the stroller
- Order meals/snacks using the app to cut down on waiting times
- Plan a break midday
- And if your day has gone a little sideways, talk to Guest Services, they truly want you to have a magical day
More Than The Words 
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